Politics
Zelenskyy tells lawmakers U.S. support disruptions are affecting Ukraine’s defenses
In a bipartisan video call Monday, Ukraine’s president raised concerns about weakened intelligence sharing, a U.S. waiver of Russia sanctions and degraded Starlink service. The senators who led the meeting said those changes could undermine Ukraine’s defenses and prolong the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers Monday that disruptions to American support are affecting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russia, including its efforts to intercept drones.
During a video call with members of the House and Senate, Zelenskyy raised concerns about interruptions in U.S. intelligence sharing and the Trump administration’s decision to waive key sanctions on Russia. He also said Starlink satellite communications remained degraded, hindering Ukraine’s air defenses, according to a statement from the senators who organized the meeting.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, and Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, led the call. In a joint statement, they criticized the administration’s approach, saying that financing Russia’s war effort and weakening Ukraine’s communications and air defenses would stand in the way of peace.
“Trying to appease a murderous thug like Vladimir Putin will only prolong this war and bring greater casualties,” the senators said.
The concerns place the future of U.S. assistance to Ukraine at the center of a growing dispute over the administration’s efforts to ease economic pressure on Moscow. The lawmakers’ statement did not detail the extent of the intelligence-sharing disruptions or the Starlink service problems.